Global InformationHigh Speed 2 information
| High Speed 2 | |
|---|---|
 | |
 The planned extent of HS2 as of October 2023 | |
| Overview | |
| Status | Under construction |
| Locale |
|
| Termini |
|
| Connecting lines | West Coast Main Line |
| Stations | 4 |
| Website | www |
| Service | |
| Type | High-speed railway |
| System | National Rail |
| History | |
| Commenced | 2017 |
| Planned opening | 2029 to 2033[1] |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 230 km (140 mi)[2] |
| Number of tracks | Double track |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge |
| Loading gauge | UIC GC |
| Electrification | Overhead line, 25 kV 50 Hz AC |
| Operating speed |
|
High Speed 2 (HS2) is a high-speed railway which is under construction in England. The route will be between Handsacre, in southern Staffordshire, and London, with a spur to Birmingham. HS2 is to be Britain's second purpose-built high-speed railway after High Speed 1, which connects London to the Channel Tunnel. The majority of the project is planned to be completed between 2029 and 2033.
The new track will run between London Euston and a junction with the West Coast Main Line at Handsacre, near Lichfield in southern Staffordshire. There will be new stations at Old Oak Common in northwest London; Birmingham Interchange, near Solihull; and Birmingham city centre. The trains will run at a maximum speed of 360 km/h (225 mph), and operate on both HS2 track and existing conventional track. The junction where North, West, and South lines meet is known as the Delta Junction[3]
The length of the new railway has been reduced substantially since it was first announced in 2013. It was originally to split into eastern and western branches north of Birmingham Interchange. The eastern branch would have connected to the Midland Main Line and East Coast Main Line south of York, with a branch to a terminus in Leeds, and the western branch would have had connections to the West Coast Main Line at Crewe and south of Wigan, and a branch to a terminus in Manchester. Between November 2021 and October 2023 the project was progressively cut until only the London to Handsacre and Birmingham section remained.
The project has both supporters and opponents. Supporters of HS2 believe that the additional capacity provided will accommodate passenger numbers rising to pre-COVID-19 levels while driving a further modal shift to rail. Opponents believe that the project is neither environmentally nor financially sustainable.
- ^ a b "HS2 Phase One full business case". DfT. Archived from the original on 19 April 2020. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
- ^ "What is HS2". HS2. Archived from the original on 19 February 2020. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
- ^ "Delta Junction". HS2.org.uk. HS2 Ltd. Retrieved 22 April 2024.